Scaling bar

ABSTRACT

A scaling bar for prying overhanging rock from mine tunnels and the like. An elongate, relatively thin-walled tube of lightweight material, such as aluminum, has an end closely fitted into engagement with and secured to one end of a relatively thickwalled coupling that is internally threaded at its other end for the reception of the externally threaded end of a scaling point. The tube and at least part of the sleeve coupling are covered with a resin-impregnated fiber glass that is bonded intimately thereto. Various forms of scaling points can be screwed into the coupling from time to time, each being secured in place by a lock nut on its shank. The opposite end of the tube is preferably provided with a similar coupling for the reception of a second scaling point, a handle, an adapter for a second tube, or merely a plug.

ilnited tates Patent [72] lnventor Paul C. O'Leary 2,577,924 l2/l95l Shacikoski 299/94 X Salt Lake City, Utah 2,847,786 8/1958 Hartley et al. l38/DlG. 2 Qyp Nov 1 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS l e pr. [45] Pammed Nov. 9,1971 234,243 l2/l959 Australia 294/57 [73] Assignee Rock Tools Inc. Primary ExaminerErncst R. Purser Salt Lake City, Utah Attorney--Mallinckrodt & Mallinckrodt Continuationin-part of application Ser. No. 830,183, May 7, 1969, now abandoned.

ABSTRACT: A scaling bar for prying overhanging rock from [54] SCAUNG BAR mine tunnels and the like. An elongate, relatively thin-walled 14 ciaimss Drawing Figs tube of lightweight material, such as aluminum, has an end closely fitted into engagement with and secured to one end of LS. a relatively thicl walled coupling that is internally threaded at 16/114 R, 138/DlG. 2, 138/143, 294/57, 299/94 its other end for the reception of the externally threaded end lnt. of a point The tube and at least part of the leeve 0 Search oupling are covered with a rcsin.impregnated fiber glass that 175/320; 138/143 2; 306/30; 294/571 is bonded intimately thereto. Various forms of scaling points 15/1431 16/114, can be screwed into the coupling from time to time, each being secured in lace by a lock nut on its shank. The opposite [56] Reerences cued end of the tube is preferably provided with a similar coupling UNITED STATES PATENTS for the reception of a second scaling point, a handle, an 138,599 5/1873 Wright et al. 299/94 X adapter for a second tube, or merely a plug.

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INVHNTOR.

PAUL c. O'LEARY A TTORNE Y5 PATENTEnMuv 9 I9?! 3,619,009

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:I I n I 1 N N o i I LL I! 3 I W 1 n y n 3 N N l 5- u m q- I n 0 n a LL s I 1 I I N 1 N i i N a 1 1 4 a lt! l g INVENTOR. PAUL c. O'LEARY ATTORNEYS SCALING BAR RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 830,183 filed May 7, 1969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field The invention is in the general field of scaling bars as employed by the mining and related industries for use by miners and other workmen to pry loose rocks or other materials from the roof of a tunnel, mine drift, or the like, as a safety precaution against injury to workers in such an area by accidental falls of rock or other materials.

2. Objectives In the making of the invention it was a principal purpose to provide an unusually lightweight scaling bar having required flexibility throughout its length, yet being strongly resistant to destructive deformation and having scaling points of requisite hardness and strength mounted rigidly for effective prying.

3. State of the Art Heretofore, scaling bars have either been heavy steel bars with permanent points, or have been hollow tubes of aluminum having scaling point inserts secured by riveting or otherwise in the ends. The heavy steel bars are durable and effective, but are unwieldy and extremely hard on the workman. Such a bar can be used for only a short time without excessively tiring the one doing the scaling, and is ordinarily passed from one man to another throughout the working period. The aluminum scaling bars are much easier to handle, but are easily bent out of shape and cannot be bent back into shape satisfactorily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objectives of the invention are achieved by using a length of relatively thin-walled tubing of lightweight material, such as aluminum, as a core for a protective and strengthening wrapping of fiber glass impregnated with a plastic resin material, such as an epoxy resin. One of the open ends of the length of tubing is closely fitted into engagement with one end of a relatively heavy-walled coupling by insertion of one into the other and securement of the one to the other, as by means of a press fit. The other end of such coupling is adapted to receive and secure the shank of a scaling point. An ideal securement is provided by internally threading the shankreceiving end of the coupling and by externally threading the shank of the scaling point. This enables the point to be secured in place by a locknut carried by the shank. The fiber glass is wrapped around the tube and around at least part of the length of the sleeve coupling and is impregnated with a resin that bonds tightly to the tube. Both ends of the tube are preferably provided with a coupling as described, so scaling points can be mounted at both ends or so that a scaling point can be mounted at one end and a handle, adapter for a second length of tubing, or a plug can be mounted at the opposite end.

THE DRAWINGS Particular constructions presently contemplated as the best modes of carrying out the invention in practice are illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. I is an elevation of one form of the scaling bar, with a scaling point mounted at one end and another scaling point or other item, such as a handle (shown fragmentarily), at the opposite end, an intermediate portion of the bar being broken out for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. I and drawn to a larger scale;

FIG. 3, a view corresponding to that of FIG. 1 but drawn to a considerably larger scale and being partly in longitudinal axial section, with a scaling point at one end and a handle at the other;

FIG. 4, an elevation of the handle end of the scaling bar of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5, a fragmentary longitudinal axial section of the scaling bar of FIG. 3, with the handle replaced by an adapter connector for a second scaling bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS In the particular form illustrated in FIGS. I and 2, a length of lightweight tubing 10, preferably aluminum, provides an elongate, relatively thin-walled tube having an end portion closely fitted into and secured, as by means of a press fit, to one end portion 11a of a relatively thick-walled sleeve coupling 11, preferably of steel. Covering the tube 10 and at least the end portion Ila of the coupling 11 is a relatively thick jacket I2 of fiber glass impregnated with a synthetic resin such as an epoxy or the like, which serves to bond the jacket to tube and coupling. The fiber glass is preferably spirally wound.

The opposite end portion 11b of the coupling 11 is formed to receive the shank of a scaling point 13, and means are provided for securing the shank within the coupling. In the form illustrated, such means include screw threading I4 internally of the coupling end portion 1 lb, screw threading I5 externally 0f the shank of the scaling point 13, and a locknut 16 carried by the threaded portion of the shank. An unthreaded, elongate, terminal portion 13a of the shank is of such diameter as will closely fit within the bore 17 of the tube.

The opposite end of the scaling bar, see 18, FIG. I, is preferably similarly provided with a sleeve coupling I9 for receiving either a second scaling point of selected type, a handle having the required shank 20 and a locknut 21, or a plug (not shown). If desired, nothing need be inserted in coupling 19.

The thickness of the jacket 12 and the relative wall thicknesses of tube 10 and coupling 1] can vary depending upon the degree of resiliency and/or strength required for particular instances of use.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3-5, the couplings 22 that are fitted and secured to respective opposite ends of the relatively thin-walled tube 23 are somewhat different in formation than the couplings I1 and I9 previously described and are interconnected with the tube somewhat differently. Thus, each coupling 22 is longer, so that an end portion 220 will accommodate the entire shank 24a of the scaling tip 24, or the entire shank of some other received item, such as the shank 25a of the handle 25, and so that the other end portion 22b will extend in a press fit within the corresponding end portion of the tube. The scaling tips and other received items remain the same for this embodiment, but the tube is larger in diameter to accommodate the coupling. The jacket 26 is preferably reduced in thickness, so the outside diameter of the bar is about the same for convenient gripping by a workman. This form of the scaling bar of the invention has been found to be both stronger and more economical to roduce than that previously described.

The elongate end portion 22a X of a coupling 22 is deeply recessed, as at 27, to receive the shank of the attached item, such as the shank 24a of the scaling tip 24 or the shank 25a of the handle 25, and is internally threaded, as at 28, at the mouth of recess 27 for engaging external threading, see 24b or 25b, at the root of the shank. It is advantageously annularly grooved externally, as at 29. The other end portion 22b of a coupling 22 is also elongate, so as to fit deeply into an end of tube 23, and is preferably provided with a bore 30 along its length for the sake of lightness. It is of reduced diameter to provide both an abutment shoulder 31 for tube 23 and a press fit within such tube. Its diameter is preferably such that the outside of the tube is flush with the outside of the end portion 22a of the coupling.

As in the first embodiment, tube 23 is covered by jacket 26 of resin-impregnated fiber glass cloth or spiral-wound fiber glass filaments. Such jacket preferably extends over practically the entire lengths of the couplings at opposite ends of tube 23, filling the annular grooves 29 and bonding to expose surfaces of the couplings and the tube.

Scaling tips 24 or such a scaling tip and a handle 25, see FIG. 3, are installed in the couplings 22 at opposite ends of the jacketed tube 23 by screwing them in so that their shanks abut the bottom of the recesses 27 of the respective couplings, whereupon respective locknuts 32, in place on the threaded root portions of the respective shank, are screwed down tightly against the adjacent coupling ends to firmly secure the scaling tips or handle in place.

Handle 25 is preferably provided with a handheld portion 25c of loop formation, and a small securement loop 33 is advantageously provided for receiving the end of a safety rope which is tied in place when using the scaling bar over grizzlies or other areas where the bar would be lost if dropped.

Very satisfactory results have been had when the tube 23 has an outside diameter of 1% inches and a wall thickness of 0.035 inches and is covered by a jacket 26 of one-eighth inch thickness.

In some instances it is desirable to have an extra long scaling bar. This can be easily achieved with the invention by making use of an adapter-connector 34, FIG. 5, to join the couplings 22 at juxtaposed ends of two scaling bars 35. Such adapterconnector 34 has two shanks 340 with extemally threading 34b at their roots, such shanks extending oppositely from a section Me which is advantageously of hexagonal formation for receiving a wrench. While the section 34c is held against turning, the scaling bars 35 are screwed tightly onto the respective shanks 34a, thereby providing in effect a doublelength scaling bar.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to certain preferred forms thereof, it is to be understood that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concepts particularly pointed out in the claims.

lclaim:

l. A scaling bar, comprising an elongate tube; a coupling having one end portion closely fitted into engagement with an end of said tube and the opposite end portion recessed to removably receive the shank of a scaling point; a jacket of resin-impregnated fiber glass covering and bonded to said tube and to at least the said one end portion of the coupling; and means for securing said shank within said coupling, said tube being thin-walled relative to said coupling.

2. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the tube is a length of strong but lightweight tubing.

3. A scaling bar according to claim ll, wherein the means for securing the shank of a scaling point within the coupling are screw threads formed internally of the said opposite end of the coupling.

4. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the opposite end of the tube is provided with a similar coupling.

5. A scaling bar according to claim I, wherein there is additionally included a scaling point having a shank removably inserted in and secured to the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling.

6. A scaling bar according to claim 5, wherein the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling is internally threaded and the shank of the scaling point is externally threaded to provide the securing means.

7. A scaling bar according to claim 6, wherein the securement means also includes a locknut carried by the external threading of the shank.

8. A scaling bar according to claim 6, wherein the shank has an elongate terminal portion that is unthreaded and closely fit within and extending along the bore of the tube.

9. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the one end portion of the coupling is elongate and closely fitted within and extending along the bore of the tube, and wherein the opposite end portion is elongate and deeply recessed to receive the shank of a scaling tip.

10. A scaling bar according to claim 9, wherein there isadditionally included a scaling point having a shank removably inserted in and secured to the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling with its end abutting the bottom of the recess;

and wherein the securin means comprises mutually engaged screw threading mtem y of the recess and externally of the shank, and a locknut threaded onto the said shank and bearing against the adjacent end of the tube.

111. A scaling bar according to claim 10, wherein the one end portion of the coupling is of reduced diameter so the outside of the tube is substantially flush with the outside of the opposite end portion of the coupling.

12. A scaling bar according to claim 10, including a similar coupling at the opposite end of the tube and a handle similarly coupled to said opposite end of the tube.

13. A scaling bar according to claim 12, wherein the handle has an appended loop for the securement of a safety rope.

14. A scaling bar according to claim 10, including a similar coupling at the opposite end of the tube, and a similar tube similarly coupled to said opposite end of the tube by an adapter-connector to provide temporary extended length for said scaling bar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 519 Dated November 9 1971 Inventor(s) Paul C 0 Leary It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 40, "the said one end portion" should read part Signed and sealed this 29th day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer *ORM FWD-1 0 A, uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 l U S GOVERNMENT HUNTING OFFICE I909 O-3SG 3SQ 

1. A scaling bar, comprising an elongate tube; a coupling having one end portion closely fitted into engagement with an end of said tube and the opposite end portion recessed to removably receive the shank of a scaling point; a jacket of resinimpregnated fiber glass covering and bonded to said tube and to at least the said one end portion of the coupling; and means for securing said shank within said coupling, said tube being thinwalled relative to said coupling.
 2. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the tube is a length of strong but lightweight tubing.
 3. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the means for securing the shank of a scaling point within the coupling are screw tHreads formed internally of the said opposite end of the coupling.
 4. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the opposite end of the tube is provided with a similar coupling.
 5. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein there is additionally included a scaling point having a shank removably inserted in and secured to the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling.
 6. A scaling bar according to claim 5, wherein the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling is internally threaded and the shank of the scaling point is externally threaded to provide the securing means.
 7. A scaling bar according to claim 6, wherein the securement means also includes a locknut carried by the external threading of the shank.
 8. A scaling bar according to claim 6, wherein the shank has an elongate terminal portion that is unthreaded and closely fit within and extending along the bore of the tube.
 9. A scaling bar according to claim 1, wherein the one end portion of the coupling is elongate and closely fitted within and extending along the bore of the tube, and wherein the opposite end portion is elongate and deeply recessed to receive the shank of a scaling tip.
 10. A scaling bar according to claim 9, wherein there is additionally included a scaling point having a shank removably inserted in and secured to the recessed opposite end portion of the coupling with its end abutting the bottom of the recess; and wherein the securing means comprises mutually engaged screw threading internally of the recess and externally of the shank, and a locknut threaded onto the said shank and bearing against the adjacent end of the tube.
 11. A scaling bar according to claim 10, wherein the one end portion of the coupling is of reduced diameter so the outside of the tube is substantially flush with the outside of the opposite end portion of the coupling.
 12. A scaling bar according to claim 10, including a similar coupling at the opposite end of the tube and a handle similarly coupled to said opposite end of the tube.
 13. A scaling bar according to claim 12, wherein the handle has an appended loop for the securement of a safety rope.
 14. A scaling bar according to claim 10, including a similar coupling at the opposite end of the tube, and a similar tube similarly coupled to said opposite end of the tube by an adapter-connector to provide temporary extended length for said scaling bar. 